Smith International, Inc.

Terry Lee Woodruff

Ronald K Eyre

Loel Gene Corbett

A method for determining a position of a region within an ultra-hard polycrystalline body comprises directing x-rays onto the body, wherein the body includes one region that includes a target atom and another region that does not. The ultra-hard polycrystalline body can be in the form of a cutting element used with a subterranean drill bit. The x-rays penetrate the body and cause the target atom within the region including the same to emit x-ray fluorescence. The emitted x-ray fluorescence is received and the position of the second region within the body is determined therefrom. In one embodiment, the one region extends a depth from the surface, and the other region extends from one region into the body. The x-rays can be directed onto a number of different body surface portions to determine the placement position of the region comprising the target atom within the polycrystalline body.

Growing community of inventors

Ponca City, OK, United States of America

Terry Lee Woodruff